Dressing for cold weather work
Cold weather work requires appropriate clothing for both safety and productivity reasons. Here are some great tips from CCS Group’s Safety Director Tyler Pollock on dressing for winter work.
• Always dress in layers with outer layers rather loose and inner layers tighter to the body to trap body heat.
• Do not over bundle.
• The outer layer of your clothing should serve as a windbreaker which will make the layers underneath more effective.
• Minimize sweating; if you begin to feel hot, remove a layer of clothing. Avoid wet clothing as once they are wet, they do not serve as good protection from the cold.
• Wear head protection to increase your overall warmth. Over half of the body’s heat loss comes from the head.
• Be sure to properly protect your feet. Unless you are moving , your feet will feel the effects of the cold first. Wool socks help, but 4-buckle overshoes can provide even better protection.
• Gloves are important. Most often a thin pair of wood gloves under a pair of leather gloves will provide the best protection.
Stay safe and warm out there!
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